This site is a counter of curiosities and anecdotes related to the arctic polar expeditions happened between the S. XVI and the beginning of the S.XX

KABLOONAS

Burial of John Franklin. Author: me

KABLOONAS

Kabloonas is the way in which the Inuit who live in the north part of Canada call those who haven´t their same ascendency.

The first time i read this word was in the book "Fatal Passage" by Ken McGoogan, when, as the result of the conversations between John Rae and some inuit, and trying to find any evidence of the ill-fated Sir John Franklin Expedition, some of then mentioned that they watched how some kabloonas walked to die in the proximities of the river Great Fish.

I wish to publish this blog to order and share all those anecdotes that I´ve been finding in the arctic literature about arctic expeditions. My interest began more than 15 years ago reading a little book of my brother about north and south pole expeditions. I began reading almost all the bibliography about Antarctic expeditions and the superknown expeditions of Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton, etc. After I was captured by the Nansen, Nobile and Engineer Andree. But the most disturbing thing in that little book, full of pictures, was the two pages dedicated to the last Franklin expedition of the S.XIX, on that moment I thought that given the time on which this and others expeditions happened, few or any additional information could be obtained about it. I couldn´t imagine that after those two pages It would be a huge iceberg full of stories, unresolved misteries, anecdotes, etc. I believe that this iceberg, on the contrary than others, would continue growing instead melting.

jueves, 18 de febrero de 2016

THE ELUSIVE LADY

There are very few portraits of the mourning wive of our vanished explorer John Franklin and, as far as we currently now, there is only an existing photograph from her which Russell Potter found time ago as if it were a tiny needle in an massive haystack.

This time, while looking for details about a curious Polka, ...yes, a Polka... called "Polar Bear Polka" about which I expect to say something here someday..., I have stumbled upon this unexpected engraving. I have not a clear idea about who its author is and if it is contemporary to the publication of the book where I have found it.

This engraving appears in the book: "Professor Sonntag´s thrilling narrative of the Grinnell exploring expedition to the Arctic Ocean in the years 1853, 1854 and 1855" which was published for first time in 1857. Lady Franklin was born the 4th of december of 1791, so if the engraving was made by the time the book was published she should be about 66 years old by then, age which, I think, definitely doesn´t match the age of the woman in the portrait. Judging from her appearance I would say she looks quite far younger than that age.

Engravings were the way illustrations could appear in a book or newspaper in the past, and they usually come from paintings or even from photographs. Because the pose of our beloved Lady, I would dare to say that this particular engraving must have come from a painting which for some reason has not survived or it just hasn´t appeared yet. Her long hair and uncovered neck makes me think this could be a portrait of her in her thirties. Perhaps the painting was made previous to the day of her wedding.Time will say.

My first impression when I took a close look to her serious countenance is that hers was a face invaded by a deep sadness. Because of that I thought this was a Lady Franklin on her fifties who was currently enduring the dissappearance of her husband. There are deep tracks of suffering and pain carving her lower eyelids forming dark eye bags which sadden an otherwise determined look, but too, her infinite will and resolution are visible in the pronounced lines around her mouth. It has been the long hair and naked neck which have made me think otherwise. Did her suffering begin before John Franklin sailed towards history in 1845?

The difference is notable if we compared this new portrait which I have found with this other shown below, much more known, on which she shows a much maturer look and which was allegedly painted in 1838 when she was about 46 years old. She still bears a friendly smile, almost affectionate.

In all of her portraits there is a certain hidden pre-Victorian beauty. You can see through her eyes the life of a a pretty, young and visionary girl who got married with one of the most successful explorers of the time, and too, the tiring life of a woman who traveled thousand of miles.

A controversial figure, lady Franklin, arise on me various feelings, mainly of affection but also of astonishment. She was unquestionably an interesting character who deserves to be analysed in detail. I would love to get deeper on her psyche and ascertain which were her actual drivers to get married with a husband with which she would hardly would spend some few years together. I would give my kingdom to who could explain me which were the reasons why she developed such coldness towards her stepdaughter and why she never untiringly stopped traveling all around the world.

She was a woman who I would say never found not only John Franklin, her husband, but who never found whatever other thing she was after. I have the feeling that she never filled the blanks of her ambitious life through which she wanted to accomplish everything.